“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The United States of America is in unrest; the oppressed are saying enough! 400 years of oppression, systemic racism, broken justice systems, and the imprisonment of 2.2 million people making up 21% of the world’s total incarcerations have the disenfranchised enraged. Being silent is being complicit. Racism exists because of the actions and thoughts of people. Today, I challenge you to explore your thoughts, feelings, prejudice, and stereotypes about race. If you have not taken a stand on antiracism, ask yourself why? The current protests are in response to the deaths of 3 African Americans (George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery) during a national pandemic. The prevailing thought was that COVID 19 impacted everyone equally. We later found that it affected vulnerable populations at higher numbers. Vulnerable populations in this country are predominantly poor people and people of color. They are vulnerable due to underlying health conditions related to increased levels of stress and trauma, inadequate health care, and systemic racism. I stand with protesters saying enough is enough! Silence is complicit. Make your voice heard, demand change in this country. Reach out to your local and national government and mandate transformation within our justice system. “The people united will never be defeated,” Cesar Chavez.
In solidarity,
Tamika Farr, MBA
Executive Director
J
